Henry County, Virginia
Henry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of 2009, the population was 53,795.http://www.coopercenter.org/demographics. Weldon Cooper Center Population Estimates Retrieved January 26, 2011 The county seat is Martinsville. Henry County is part of the Martinsville Micropolitan Statistical Area. History , namesake of Martinsville, at Axton, Henry County, 1808–1810]] The county was established in 1777 when it was carved from Pittsylvania County. The new county was initially named Patrick Henry County in honor of Patrick Henry, who was then serving as the first Governor of Virginia after independence. Living on his plantation called Leatherwood, Gov. Henry was a sometime resident of the county, where he had relatives already settled.Places Associated with Patrick Henry, virginiaplaces.orgNational Register of Historic Places Form, dhr.virginia.govHistory, Martinsville and Henry County, Virginia, martinsville.com , pioneer settler of Henry County]] In 1785 the northern part of Patrick Henry County was combined with part of Bedford County to form Franklin County. In 1790, Patrick Henry County was split into two counties, the western part becoming Patrick County and the rest becoming Henry County. Other notable early settlers of Henry County include Colonel George Waller,A native of Stafford County, Virginia, George Waller lived on his plantation at what was once known as Waller's Ford, today's Fieldale. He was married to Ann Winston (Carr) Waller, first cousin of Patrick Henry. Col. Waller's wife's sister was married to Col. Mordecai Hord. http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Henry/044-5172_Edgewood_2006_NRdraft.pdf Col. George Waller's daughter, Mary Winston Carr Waller, married Major John Redd of the Continental Army. Captain George Hairston and Major John Redd,General Joseph Martin, by John Redd, Publications of the Southern History Association, Vol. VII, No. 1, January 1903, Washington, D.C. all of whom were present at the surrender of General Cornwallis at Yorktown; Col. Abraham Penn, a native of Amherst County, Virginia, who led his Henry County militia troops with the intention of joining General Nathaniel Greene at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse during the Revolutionary War;Lord Dunmore's Little War of 1774, Warren Skidmore, Donna Kaminsky, Heritage Books, 2002 and Brigadier General Joseph Martin, for whom Martinsville is named.Henry County, The Carolina Road, virginia.org Also prominent were Mordecai Hord, a native of Louisa County and prominent early explorer, who lived on his plantation called Hordsville;Thomas Hord, Gentleman, Arnold Harris Hord, Thomas Hord, Philadelphia, 1903 and Col. John Dillard, born in Amherst County, Virginia in 1751, wounded at the Battle of Princeton during the Revolution, and later a member of the Committee of Safety and a colonel in the Virginia forces. In 1902, the Henry County Historical Society was incorporated at Martinsville with its first officers being John W. Carter, J. Harrison Spencer and C. B. Bryant.Acts and Joint Resolutions , Passed by the General Assembly, of the State of Virginia, During the Session of 1901–2, J. H. O'Hannon, Superintendent of Public Printing, Richmond, 1902 Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.53%) is water. Districts The county is divided into six supervisor districts: Bassett, Blackberry, Collinsville, Horsepasture, Iriswood, Reed Creek, and Ridgeway. Adjacent counties *Franklin County, Virginia - north *Pittsylvania County, Virginia - east *Rockingham County, North Carolina - south *Stokes County, North Carolina - south-southwest *Patrick County, Virginia - west Demographics , Henry County]] As of the census of 2000, there were 57,930 people, 23,910 households, and 16,952 families residing in the county. The population density was 152 people per square mile (58/km²). There were 25,921 housing units at an average density of 68 per square mile (26/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.47% White, 10% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.39% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. 3.46% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 23,910 households out of which 28.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.30% were married couples living together, 12.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.10% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.87. In the county, the population was spread out with 22.30% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 26.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.00 males. The median income for a household in the county was $31,816, and the median income for a family was $38,649. Males had a median income of $26,660 versus $20,766 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,110. About 8.80% of families and 11.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.20% of those under age 18 and 12.60% of those age 65 or over. Communities Town *Ridgeway Unincorporated communities , county's namesake, Leatherwood, Henry County]] *Axton *Bassett *Chatmoss *Collinsville *Fieldale *Horsepasture *Laurel Park *Oak Level *Sandy Level *Spencer *Stanleytown *Villa Heights As an independent city since 1928, Martinsville is not part of Henry County, but exists as an enclave, surrounded by the county. See also *Henry County Sheriff's Office *National Register of Historic Places listings in Henry County, Virginia References External links *Henry County, Official site *Henry County Public Schools *Patrick Henry Monument, Henry County, Virginia, virginia.org *Henry County – The Carolina Road, Wilderness Road, virginia.org *Architectural Survey of Henry County/Martinsville, Virginia, Martinsville-Henry County Historical Society Category:Counties of Virginia Category:Henry County, Virginia Category:Established in 1777 Category:Martinsville micropolitan area